Very Subtle
by AnimalAddictions
Summary: Lily Evans finally admits her feelings for a certain Marauder Head Boy, after he settles for being just her friend. Will it be happily ever after or a broken-hearted Valentine's Day for Lily and James? LExJP, SBxOC, RLxOC. V-day 1-shot


**A/N - HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM ANIMAL-ADDICTIONS (LU & TRK)!!! WE HOPE YOU ENJOY VERY SUBTLE & ARE HAVING A BETTER V-DAY THAN US!!! ~ TRK**

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**Very Subtle**

"FINE! I'LL ADMIT IT! I AM IN LOVE WITH HIM! YES, BLACK, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT JAMES EFFIN' POTTER! KILL ME BEFORE I AM EXTREMELY MENTAL! AHH - " a teenage girl shrieked.

"I - I didn't - " a boy with black hair that was nearly shoulder length, and stormy grey eyes, his face was lined with laughter but he shifted his weight, on the other side of his 6'6 frame. He was muscular, slightly, but in a good way. Clearly he was shocked and also extremely insecure.

"Liar!" she hissed. "Just shut up! Go snog that bimbo, Kana Molyet, that's the best use for you even I, Lily Evans, could come up with!" the girl with a fierce personality, which, adequately, matched her fierce red hair. But you could also tell she was passionate, proud, and stubborn. That reflected in her deep green eyes.

"Lily - " the boy said in warning.

"Sirius Black…" Lily, too, said in warning, by raising her elegant voice, although now it was extremely frustrated.

"LILY?! SIRIUS?! WHAT'S GOING ON?!?!" and there stood a different boy, next to the girl named Lily. He had deep black hair and eyes that were a very light brown with a twinge of green to make them look like a liquid hazel-ish like color. And round, black glasses over those hazel eyes.

"Prongs," Sirius said, addressing the new boy, moving over to stand behind the newcomer, "Your Lily-flower scares me!" he declared, whining much like a little immature puppy.

"Padfoot, shut up and go snog Kana Molyet!" Sirius pouted, but still went out the portrait hole. "Sorry Lily, sometimes he gets a _little_ excited and will forget his manners. I'm really sorry if he upset you." James said apologetically, his 6'4 frame making Lily's 5'4 frame look like a pixie.

Lily was shocked by James intenseness. He really sounded like he was sincerely sorry, even though it wasn't his fault. "It's alright James!" she said with a trademark Lily Evans smile. "I mean, it is Sirius Black we are talking about, does he even have any manners?!" they both laughed. "So…what are you going to do next Hogsmeade weekend?" she asked honestly curious.

"I…don't know. Peter is taking his voice lessons. Apparently, he would like to be a famous soprano singer. Or opera. I think both." James brow was lined deeply in thought and he shook his head. Lily put her hand over her mouth but not before a giggle escaped. 'What is wrong with me?' she asked herself over and over in her head. James had a funny look on his face. "Then Remus -"

"Has a date with Kari. The nice one with the blond hair, right, not that Goth girl in Hufflepuff? Yeah, she's my friend." James nodded.

"Yeah, and Sirius has a date with that one chick. What's-her-face? Oh yeah! It's that one Hufflepuff with that Greek name! Kalonice _**(A/N - PRONOUNCED **__**KAH lo NEE keh)**_."

"Yes James! It's means beauty's victory in Greek. She has that amazing strawberry blond hair!" Lily said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, the chick with the huge -"

"James PLEASE don't finish that sentence!" Lily cried in fear of what word James would use to describe Kalonice's chest area.

"What? I was going to just say 'heart'." James smirked.

Lily muttered, very darkly, something that sounded distinctly like the words "toerag", "prat", and "perverted" all in the same sentence.

"Anyway…" James continued.

"Yes."

"What are you going to do for Hogsmeade?" James asked Lily cautiously, as if this new Lily would go away soon.

"I'm not really sure either. My friends all have dates. Kari, and then Cami has a date with Amos Diggory." Lily made a face at the name Amos Diggory. "And then Joani has a date with my ex-boyfriend, Fabian Prewett." she sounded quite a bit bitter.

"Lily," James began again, instantly serious. "if he was smart he would have never let you go. I know I wouldn't risk it."

"Wow, James. That was really deep. Thanks." Lily replied, ignoring his implying on the last part.

"So it appears we are both alone on Hogsmeade weekend." James said, clearly stating the obvious.

"Yeah, I guess we will be, huh?" she paused for a second. "Holy crap!" she shrieked. "I gotta go! I'm going to be late to my next class!" without warning Lily took off running, leaving James standing there, inhaling her scent as it drifted away, following her.

James sighed in sadness. "I guess I'll see you around." he whispered to Lily after she went out of sight.

**~LATER THAT DAY~**

Through the entire day, for the first time ever, other than the morning Fabian and her broke up, Lily couldn't focus at all! Her mind kept wandering back to James, and their conversation. It also went back to last year when he revealed his six-pack abs after winning the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup for the 6th year in a row. Lily was worried for herself.

"Cami! Kari!" Lily screamed when she entered her dormitory.

"What's up Lils?" the blond girl asked. That girl was clealy Remus' date and Lily's friend, Kari. The girl with the black hair and purple like eyes sat up from her bed to look at Lily, obviously Cami. Lily slammed the door closed and leaned against it and slid down.

Lily sighed. "I think I just did the impossible and made it possible! Grr!" she slammed her fist on the floor is frustration.

"Geez! Calm down Lily!" Cami said soothingly. "It can't be _that _bad."

"Oh yes it is! I fell for James Potter! How could I?!"

"Oh my gosh Lily! Seriously?!" asked Kari, excitedly, after all, all of Hogwarts waited for this moment for a very long time.

"Yes!"

"Go for it then." a new voice said.

"Just like you went for my boyfriend, Joani?" Lily asked the new voice, coldly. Much like an Ice Queen.

"Come on, Lils! You need to get over it! Besides I did you a favor! I gave you the chance to fall for James Potter!" Joani said flipping her pink and red hair. She had dyed it for Valentine's Day, like she always did.

"Whatever!" Lily said turning away from Joani.

"I know you're mad at me, Lily, but listen. He loves you. Princes like him don't wait around on their white horses forever, you know." Joani said, more gently before exiting the Girl's Dormitory.

"She's right Lily. You need to go for it when you get the chance." Cami said.

"You _are_ right!" Lily said perking up some.

"Yes! You need to totally flirt. But remember be - " Kari started.

Kari and Cami finished in unison, "_**VERY SUBTLE**_!" they screeched loudly.

"Got it!" Lily proclaimed. "Very Subtle!"

*****HOGSMEADE WEEKEND*****

Off and on all week Lily was indeed very subtle in her flirting with James Potter, something she never thought she'd have to do. Now she was going to shop while her friends were on dates, then search for James.

Lily was searching for something…special. For James birthday the following month. Finally she found something adequate…for James…in a book store. That was one sentence she never expected to think in her mind, especially with the words "adequate", "James Potter", and "book store" all wrapped up in the same sentence. It was a book with the most evil pranks and pranks that broke records. Like one broke the record for the most muggles that fell for hallucinations created by witches and wizards. So the ever great Marauders could be inspired for new, evil pranks, since it was their last year. And even though James was Head Boy, Lily thought the Marauders would also enjoy breaking all the records in the book and causing pure chaos and mayhem. And she would let them!

Without a second thought Lily bought the book and made off to find James.

After a stop at the prank store, where she did not find James, Lily made her way to The Three Broomsticks, trying to find James. And boy oh boy did she find him! Chugging butterbeer like there was no tomorrow. All alone. And he really looked alone. And Lily was set on fixing that.

"Hey James!" Lily called, acting surprised to see him. "What are you up to?" Lily asked.

"Hi, Lily! Nothing much! Just…hanging out." James said as Lily took a seat at the table for two.

"Alone?" she questioned.

"Well…we are both alone aren't we?"

"Yeah, I guess we both are, or were." Lily said, "Maybe we can hang out the rest of the day." Lily said letting the words she always wanted to say, slip. James was clearly flabbergasted.

"Are you OK, Lily? Do you know what you just said?" James asked Lily.

"Yes, silly!"

"But today is Valentine's day." James pointed out.

"So?" Lily questioned.

"You…hate…me." James explained using his hands to point to her then took his index finger across his throat, then pointed at himself. While doing all that he explained it slowly. "And if we hung out on Valentine's Day that's basically saying we are a couple on a date."

"I used to hate you, till I got to know the real James. The one who isn't egotistical, I want to date the one I just had a normal conversation with, the one I laughed with! That's what I want James! Is that so hard? We could've been happy, sooner if I would have seen the real James Potter!" Lily finally took a breathe from her little rant and James said :

"Hold it! Just rewind, back-up, and…and FREEZE!" James exploded, running a hand through his already messy hair. " First… you want this to be a date?! I tried to get you on a date since we first came to Hogwarts! And second, that's the only effin' thing I had to do to go out with you?! Be myself?! As if! You maraudered a Marauder!" James turned around and let out a mangled yell of exasperation and frustration. "Why didn't you tell me Lily?" he murmured suddenly. Lily looked at him.

"I thought that your Marauder side was real James. This whole year I found the real James Potter. And do you know what James?" Lily asked. "When I thought about what I wanted in my Prince Charming, it was humor, attractiveness, intelligence, basically everything that you are. And I just realized that. When I talked to you the other day." Lily explained, sadly. James paused for a few minutes, his face un-readable.

"Well…in that case will you be my Valentine's date?" James finally whispered back, smiling like a fool.

"Only if…you kiss me first."

And with that James leaned across the table in the crowded Three Broomsticks, while Lily meet him in their first kiss.

James hands shook with nervousness, but as Lily drew near he was a little more, or a lot more, brave. Because, it's a first kiss, it's flawless, really something. Because for the first time, it's fearless. His hands were cupping Lily's face gently, while Lily's were entangled in James messy black hair.

And when they reluctantly broke apart, they heard applause. And there they saw all their friends. Sirius was so gleeful, it was pitiful! Next to him stood Remus, who was shaking his head, and he had his arm wrapped around Kari's waist. Kari was clapping happily for one of her best friends. Next to her was Cami, who had admiration on her face, apparently she had abandoned Diggory. And what shocked Lily the most was seeing Joani next to Cami, who had apparently abandoned Fabian Prewett to see if her best friend had caught her prince and his white horse in time, before the prince gave up. She was crying. All were clapping.

"Lily," Sirius said. "Remus was filled in by the events by Kari and he told all of us…minus James." James glared at his so called friends.

"Thanks for the warning." James muttered in their direction.

"Oh and Lily." Sirius replied after a moment, ignoring James. "You were VERY subtle!" Everyone laughed at Sirius for using the girls' description for how Lily should have acted toward James, rather than snogging him senseless.

**~HOURS LATER~**

Once James and Lily were once more alone they had a whispered conversation.

"James, I know we have become good friends this last year, and it's really too soon to think about this." Lily sighed. "But I love you James."

"Lily, that's not too soon. Since the day I met you, I knew I loved you. I just knew." James replied. "And I love you, too."

Lily once more entangled her hands in James hair while James wrapped his arms lovingly around her waist. And they stood there and kissed on that Valentine's Day. Without a fear in the world.


End file.
